Middle School Teachers

Summary

Middle school teachers help students build on the fundamentals they learned in elementary schools to prepare them for the more difficult subjects and lessons in high school.

Quick Facts: Middle School Teachers
2023 Median Pay	$64,290 per year
Typical Entry-Level Education	Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2023	640,000
Job Outlook, 2023-33	-1% (Decline)
Employment Change, 2023-33	-4,700

What Middle School Teachers Do

Middle school teachers educate students, typically in sixth through eighth grades.

Work Environment

Middle school teachers work in public and private schools. They generally work during school hours when students are present and use nights and weekends to prepare lessons and grade papers. Most do not work during the summer.

How to Become a Middle School Teacher

Middle school teachers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license.

Pay

The median annual wage for middle school teachers was $64,290 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of middle school teachers is projected to decline 1 percent from 2023 to 2033.

Despite declining employment, about 41,400 openings for middle school teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for middle school teachers.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of middle school teachers with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about middle school teachers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Middle School Teachers Do About this section

Some middle school teachers specialize in teaching a particular subject, such as science or math.

Middle school teachers educate students, typically in sixth through eighth grade. Middle school teachers help students build on the fundamentals taught in elementary school and prepare students for high school.

Duties

Middle school teachers typically do the following:

• Create lesson plans to teach students a subject
• Assess students to evaluate their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses
• Teach lessons they have planned to an entire class or to smaller groups
• Grade students’ assignments and exams
• Communicate with parents or guardians about their child’s progress
• Work with students individually to help them overcome specific learning challenges
• Prepare students for standardized tests required by the state
• Develop and enforce classroom rules
• Supervise students outside of the classroom—for example, during lunchtime or detention

Middle school typically goes from sixth to eighth grades. However, in some school districts, middle school may begin in fourth grade or extend through ninth grade.

In many schools, middle school teachers are responsible for certain subjects. For example, one teacher may teach math to several different classes of students throughout the day. However, other middle school teachers instruct on every subject to a single class.

Teachers use time during the day when they do not have classes to plan lessons, grade assignments, or meet with other teachers and staff.

Some middle schools have English as a second language (ESL) or English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers who work with students learning the English language. ESL and ESOL teachers work with students individually or in groups to help them improve their English language skills and to help the students with assignments for their classes.

Middle school teachers may also work with special education teachers to adapt lessons. In some cases, middle school teachers may co-teach lessons with special education teachers.

Teachers must be comfortable using and learning new technology. With parents, teachers may use text-messaging applications to communicate about students’ assignments and upcoming events. With their students, teachers may create websites or discussion boards to present information or to expand on a lesson taught in class.

Some middle school teachers coach sports teams and advise student clubs and groups, whose practices and meetings frequently take place before or after school.

Work Environment About this section

Middle school teachers may advise clubs or meet with students and parents before or after school.

Middle school teachers held about 640,000 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of middle school teachers were as follows:

Most states have tenure laws, which provide job security after a certain number of years of satisfactory teaching.

Middle school teachers may find it rewarding to watch students develop new skills and gain an appreciation for knowledge and learning. However, teaching may be stressful. Schools may have large classes and lack important teaching tools, such as current technology and textbooks. Some states are developing teacher mentoring programs and teacher development courses to help with the challenges of being a teacher.

Working with middle school students as they become adolescents also can be challenging. Teachers need to be aware of and understand what their students are going through outside of the classroom.

Work Schedules

Middle school teachers generally work during school hours when students are present. They may meet with parents, students, and other teachers before and after school. Teachers who coach sports or advise clubs generally do so before or after school. They often spend time in the evenings and on weekends grading papers and preparing lessons.

Many teachers work a traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Some teachers work during the summer.

Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.

How to Become a Middle School Teacher About this section

Middle school teachers need good communication skills in order to discuss students’ needs with parents and administrators.

Middle school teachers typically need a bachelor’s degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license.

Education

All states require public middle school teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree. Many states require middle school teachers to major in a content area, such as mathematics or history. Other states require middle school teachers to major in elementary education.

Middle school teachers typically enroll in their college’s teacher education program, which instructs them on presenting information to students of different abilities and backgrounds. Programs typically include a student-teaching program, in which they work with a mentor teacher and get experience teaching students in a classroom setting. For information about teacher preparation programs in your state, visit Teach.org.

Some states require middle school teachers to earn a master’s degree after receiving their teaching certification and obtaining a job.

Teachers in private schools do not need to meet state requirements. However, private schools typically seek middle school teachers who have a bachelor’s degree and a major in elementary education or a content area.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require teachers in public schools to be licensed or certified in the specific grade level that they will teach. Those who teach in private schools typically do not need a license. Requirements for certification or licensure vary by state but generally involve the following:

• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average
• Completion of a student-teaching program
• Passing a background check
• Passing a general teaching certification test, as well as a test that demonstrates their knowledge of the subject they will teach.

For information about certification requirements in your state, visit Teach.org. Teachers are often required to complete professional development classes to keep their license or certification. Some states require teachers to complete a master’s degree after receiving their certification and obtaining a job.

All states offer an alternative route to certification or licensure for people who already have a bachelor’s degree but lack the education courses required for certification. Some alternative certification programs allow candidates to begin teaching immediately under the supervision of an experienced teacher. These programs cover teaching methods and child development. After they complete the program, candidates are awarded full certification. Other programs require students to take classes in education before they can teach.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Teachers must share ideas with their students, other teachers, and school administrators and staff. In addition, they need to discuss student progress with parents.

Patience. Middle school teachers must stay calm in challenging situations, such as when students struggle with material or create disturbances in class.

Physical stamina. Working with middle school students can be tiring. Teachers need to keep up with the students physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Resourcefulness. Middle school teachers need to get students engaged in learning and adapt lessons to each student’s needs.

Advancement

Experienced teachers may advance to serve as mentors to new teachers; they may also become lead teachers. In these positions, they help less experienced teachers to improve teaching skills.

With additional education or certification, teachers may become school counselors, school librarians, or instructional coordinators. Some become assistant principals or principals, both of which generally require additional education in education administration or leadership. For more information, see the profiles on school and career counselors, librarians, instructional coordinators, and elementary, middle, and high school principals.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for middle school teachers was $64,290 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,490, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $104,410.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for middle school teachers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Middle school teachers generally work school hours when students are present. They may meet with parents, students, and other teachers before and after school. Teachers who coach sports or advise clubs generally do so before or after school. Teachers often spend time in the evenings and on weekends grading papers and preparing lessons.

Many teachers work the traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Some teachers work during the summer.

Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of middle school teachers is projected to decline 1 percent from 2023 to 2033.

Despite declining employment, about 41,400 openings for middle school teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

The number of students in public middle schools is expected to decrease over the projections decade. The number of classes needed to accommodate these students will depend on class size, with larger classes requiring fewer teachers than smaller ones.

Employment of middle school teachers also will depend on state and local government budgets. If state and local governments experience budget deficits, they may increase class size while maintaining or reducing teaching staff levels. Conversely, budget surpluses at the state and local level could lead to more teaching positions within that locality.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

• Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about teaching and becoming a teacher, visit

Teach.org

American Federation of Teachers

National Education Association

For more information about teacher preparation programs, visit 

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

O*NET

Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education